Mathematics

The department offers a minor program in statistics that consists of five upper division level courses focusing on the fundamentals of mathematical statistics and of the most widely used applied statistical methods. The minor is designed to provide students in other disciplines with opportunities for exposure and skill development in advanced statistical methods.

A minor in Mathematics trains students in the mental habit of logical thinking and the tactics of problem solving.

The goal of the minor is to foster students' ability to identify, formulate, abstract, and solve mathematical problems that use tools from a variety of mathematical areas, including algebra, analysis, probability, differential equations, optimization, discrete mathematics. Students who minor in mathematics should also develop an understanding of how those mathematical areas relate to problems from other areas of science, engineering and management.

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management’s Technology Management Minor gives undergraduates the opportunity to complement their studies with courses in business and management. Students learn skills to enhance their education to be better prepared for leadership and management opportunities in today’s competitive business world.

Statisticians seek to survey representative samples of individuals in order to make inferences about entire populations. Whether estimating the extent of a pest infestation in an agricultural crop or predicting the outcome of a presidential election, statisticians use scientific methods to make useful generalizations.

Mathematics is much more than simple arithmetic and equations; it is the study of abstract structures, space, change and the interrelations of these concepts. Mathematics is the one language in which the meaning of each symbol can be defined precisely; it can be used to describe scientific concepts and processes exactly. Mathematicians work to address some of science and society's most pressing questions. Their work bridges the gaps between scientific disciplines and provides a framework for considering problems in their purest, most theoretical form.

The mathematical and scientific computation major is the ideal choice for students who are interested in the interplay between mathematical theory and modern computational tools for applications. Students will attain an advanced knowledge of computer science, specifically programming. Moreover, they will gain a solid foundation in mathematics that will enable them to model or analyze complicated systems or problems, such as earthquakes, economic models or biological systems. The major has two emphases.

Mathematical Analytics and Operations Research addresses a critical need in business for scientifically-trained analysts who can use mathematical models to interpret big data, analyze markets and forecast trends—this major is ideally suited to students with an interest in business or economics. Students will develop the skills to perform data analysis and develop reliable models for forecasting, decision-making and long-term planning in fields ranging from financing to entertainment and education.

As any scientific field develops, such as engineering, physics, economics, biology or statistics, more sophisticated mathematical models are needed to formulate and solve basic problems. Applied mathematics students learn how to use mathematics to answer questions that are integral to the advancement of knowledge in any of these scientific fields. They then focus their studies on how math relates to topics in a specific science of their choice.